Clinical Opportunities

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Pediatric Residency Program

The goal of the Pediatric Residency Program at the University of California San Diego is to train pediatricians to be well versed in all aspects of caring for sick and well children by integrating the art and science of pediatric medicine. Located in the seventh largest city in the U.S. and on the border with Mexico, the program offers unique experiences in border health, the intercity/homeless population, the rural community, the military community and the Native American population.

All the second and third year residents are involved in longitudinal projects in partnership with community based organizations. Approximately 30 percent of graduating seniors went into fellowship training, and the remaining 70 percent are pursuing careers in primary care. This year's intern recruitment was extremely successful, attracting medical students from major medical schools across the country.

For more information on our Pediatric Residency Program at UC San Diego, click here. To apply to the Pediatric Residency Program, click here.

Combined Medicine/Pediatrics Residency Program

The UCSD Combined Medicine/Pediatrics Residency Training Program provides outstanding, comprehensive training in both internal medicine and pediatrics in an intellectually stimulating and supportive, educational environment. As a renowned academic center, UCSD provides an excellent academic atmosphere for balanced training in both Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, allowing our graduates to pursue either primary care, hospitalist positions, academic medicine, international health, or sub-specialty fellowships. To find out more, click here.

Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Core Rotation

At UCSD, residents in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine-Pediatrics receive 4 weeks of subspecialty training in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics in their second year of training. General pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists must have extensive knowledge of normal and abnormal child development and an understanding of identification and management of developmental and behavioral disorders. The Developmental-Behavioral Pediatricians at UCSD/Rady Children's Hospital place a high priority on resident education. Conferences and clinics are organized to optimize education. During the rotation, our residents are supervised and mentored by Developmental-Behavioral Pediatricians. They also have the opportunity to observe other developmental service providers (e.g., developmental psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists) as well as visit schools and community resources in order to better understand the interface between healthcare and schools in the nurturing of children with developmental and behavioral concerns.

Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Elective Opportunities

Pediatric residents in their third year of training may choose our Developmental-Behavioral Pediatric Clinic as their continuity subspecialty clinic. In addition, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellows may choose to participate in our Developmental-Behavioral Pediatric Clinic during their second year of fellowship.

PACCT (Pediatricians and Community Collaborating Together)

Pediatricians and Community Collaborating Together (PACCT) is a pediatric residency-training program designed to develop pediatric professionals with greater skills and interests in community-based medicine and advocacy. The program was designed with the understanding that many issues affecting child well-being revolve around a number of societal factors such as violence, poverty, single-parent homes, teenage pregnancy, lack of access to health care, and inadequately funded schools. It is because of these societal factors that the UCSD School of Medicine has collaborated with the Naval Medical Center, San Diego, Department of Pediatrics, to expand and develop pediatric training in the community. PACCT requires that all pediatric residents participate in a four week block rotation, which occurs in the first year of residency with two weeks focusing on community pediatrics and two weeks focusing on child protection. Additionally, residents gain cultural experience through a series of cultural immersion days and film and theater nights, that occur throughout each year.